Leaders of New Zealand, Finland respond to reporter’s age question

As two of the youngest heads of government, and part of a small percentage of female world leaders, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin have long grappled with questions about their age and gender. .

However, they were quick to rebut a journalist who asked about the purpose of Marin’s visit to New Zealand on Wednesday (30).

“A lot of people will wonder if you two are seeing each other just because you’re the same age and, you know, you have a lot in common,” said the journalist during a joint press conference in Auckland.

Ardern, who is 42 years old, was quick to cut short the questioning.

“I wonder if anyone ever asked Barack Obama and John Key if they were seeing each other because they were the same age,” she said, referring to the former US and New Zealand government leaders.

“We, of course, have a higher proportion of men in politics, it’s reality. When two women meet, it’s not simply because of their gender.”

Marin, 37, is in New Zealand with a Finnish trade delegation, and emphasized the growing commercial ties between the countries.

“We are meeting because we are prime ministers,” she said in response.

She wraps up her visit to the southern hemisphere in Australia at the end of this week.